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Temptation is a Golden Apple on the Red Lips of a Temptress |
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[english assignment, so had to be a bit short....]
She sat at the café table; the scents of grinds wrapped themselves around the necromancer, as she waited for her client to arrive. The voices of amateur poets and beat boxes pounded rhythmically against her steadily growing headache. She slumped in the chair, her head in her hands, praying for an aspirin.
He ran, stumbling through crowds of people on the busy city streets. His green eyes wide as he searched the business signs for a café. If he didn’t hurry up, the necromancer would leave.
“Pardon Miss. But you look like you could use a grey goose.” A young man with bleach blonde hair and sky blue eyes, sporting a dazzling smile and Abercrombie & Fitch wear, stood holding the drink in his left hand. He stank of hubris.
“Go away Mr. Model; I’ve had my fill of faux perfection.” She sneered from her curtain of iron-straight, auburn hair. The narcissist’s face fell fast as his brain tried to discover the meaning of ‘faux.’ He walked away, confused, back to his buddies.
Running faster, darting through alleyways and past strip joints and cheap hookers, the timid man approached the café/bar just before the woman left.
“I’m so sorry I’m late Miss. Ashen, I got caught in the crowds and stopped by the – “Ashen held her hand up, silencing the stuttering dolt in front of her.
“I don’t care.” She glared at him with such intensity; he could feel fire against his skin.
“Now let’s get this over with before my head explodes.” The dark woman led the skittish one into the building. He sat opposite of her, his golden hair a little rumpled, his green-blue eyes wide, but tired. He wore the sign of a doctor or EMT on his dark, green polo shirt.
He reached into his bag, which sported golden wings; Olympia. A package of papers was brought to the table.
“Miss. Ashen, I have been asked by my employer to acquire your assistance upon retrieving an ancient family relic.”
“I know Mr. Deus, but I like to know more about my client than just a name like Mr. Z.” She looked skeptical and sarcastic, but the timid man knew she wouldn’t believe the truth.
“I’m sorry Miss, but my employer does not like to discuss himself.”
“Oh come on! Mr. Almighty Zeus? Come now Hermes, I’m smarter than the average mortal.” She whispered harshly.
“How did you know my real name?”
“It wasn’t very hard. Merely deductive reasoning. Would you like some bread?” She pushed the basket towards the messenger god.
“Now get over yourself and tell me about the job.” Hermes took a piece of bread, delicately breaking off a piece and popping it into his mouth.
“Well seeing as you don’t beat around the bush, the golden apple has been stolen.” He broke off another piece, it was cinnamon raison bread; his favorite.
“That sucks, but most mortals would be too ignorant to know of its power and sell it. Can’t you track it and buy it back?” She waved over one of the waitresses and ordered a chamomile tea.
“Well, if it had fallen into human hands, yes, but…”
“Damn, who stole it?”
“I’m getting to that part.” He paused and took a breath. “Eris – “
“Well it is rightfully hers.”
“I’m not finished!”
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay. The golden apple was stolen by Eris and Lilith. Ashen’s mouth dropped.
“Lilith? As in Adam’s first wife, Lilith?”
“Yeah.” Mercury grabbed a second piece of bread, biting into it nonchalantly.
“s**t.” Her eyes were wide now, and her headache worsened. She was interested.
The waitress brought over the tea and bill, Ashen paid it and the client and the necromancer walked out. The sun hit her hard, making her squint.
“Ah! Stupid sun, why does it have to be so damn bright? Apollo you suck!” The clouds moved farther from the sun, mocking her.
“You shouldn’t curse the gods.” Mercury said in an ‘I – told- you-so’ tone.
“I know, but they shouldn’t harm us if we don’t harm them.”
“Let me take care of that headache.” He placed his fingertips to her temples.
“Thanks. Now what the hell are we going to do about fruit? And why can’t the gods do anything?”
“The gods are busy.”
“In other words, too lazy so you dump it on me.”
“Ee-yeah. Sorry.”
“Fine.” She huffed and turned the corner. Her apartment was a charcoal gray with random cracks about the windows and door. An old brick staircase led you to the door.
“Todd’s home, do you care if he sees you?” Todd Gluch was her boyfriend. He had moved from Australia to be with her and as soon as they were financially able to, they would move back to Australia.
“No, of course not, let’s go.” They walked up three flights of stairs and opened the apartment door.
“Love! I’m home.”
“I’m fixing the kitchen sink, tiger,” Todd replied.
“Tiger?” The god chuckled lightly.
“At least I have a boyfriend.” He shut up.
The Australian walked out, wiping his hands on his ripped jeans. He grabbed his girl around the waist and pulled her into a kiss.
“Who’s this Brin?” He looked at the golden haired man. Brin’s answer was delayed…she couldn’t stop staring at her boyfriend’s chest.
“Uh, Hermes, the mes-, uh my new client.”
“Crikey. As in Hermes the messenger god?”
“Yeah.”
“What did you do to Mad Madeline this time?”
“This is a private case.”
“Who’s Mad Madeline?” Hermes interjected.
“Brin’s not-so-pleasant boss.”
“Ah.”
“Well I’m going to finish that sink and leave you to your work Tiger. Good Luck.” He kissed her and then walked back to the kitchen.
“You too love.” She watched him go.
“You live with him…now stop oggoling and let’s get back to work.” Mercury walked Brin onto the couch.
* * *
Brin sat with ancient books and papers spread about the floor. Highlighted notes and phone calls lay closest to her body. So much stress was beating against her skull. She held her head in her hands. Todd walked in quietly. He held a cup of tea in his hand and laid it next to her. The young woman looked up into his eyes, and he kissed her once, and then started to sift through the papers, helping his girlfriend. He hated seeing her so stressed. She had always pushed herself to succeed to her fullest potential since they had met, when she was 15 and he was 19.
It had been four days since Hermes dropped this assignment on her shoulders. Four days without sleep. Four days without food. Todd had tried to get her to eat, but she wouldn’t give in. He was almost to the point of force feeding her, but maybe, just maybe, he thought he might be able to help her find the golden apple.
Meanwhile Eris watched over the young couple, scoping through ancient records or time, searching for her. A cruel laugh floated past her lips. “Lilith, look here at the pathetic mortals. Pitiful really…it almost makes me want to pop up right in front of them.”
Lilith turned from torturing her ex husband. She sauntered up to her co-hort and wrapped her arms around Eris’s waist and kissing her neck. The demon peeked at the sight of the two lovers and laughed alongside her partner.
“The Aussie is cute…maybe we should go play with him.” Lilith licked Eris, and then walked around the crystal ball, and messed with the surface. Fog filled the room, and soon the young necromancer was sitting in the middle of cold room.
“What in the hell is going on!” Brin stood up and immediately set into defense mode, but her body was failing her, due to the lack of essentials.
“Relax girly. We want to offer you a deal.” Lilith walked behind Brin. Eris shot her a look, tacitly asking what was going on.
“You want the golden apple…we want a necromancer…” Lilith held the apple in front of the necromancer’s eyes.
“Can’t you feel the power surging through the air? Being pumped into your lungs? Flowing through your veins? You know you want it…” Eris soon followed Lilith.
“With that much power you could control the world. You could get rid of Madeline; the little skanks who try to steal your boyfriend, the creepy stalkers, and the rapist who killed your sister…You could control them all.” Eris put the apple into the palm of Brin’s hand. The mortal could feel the power. Her mind became dizzy. What if I did wield the apple? What if I did control them all? But…wouldn’t that lead me to an after life of eternal damnation? Who cares though, I would rule it! Brin snatched the apple, drunk with power.
“I want it!” She screamed. The demon and the demi-goddess laughed harshly. Their plan was taking effect. Soon the little necromancer would be theirs to play with and raise hell.
Suddenly, though, a light, brighter than the sun stuck the two harlequins and Hermes floated down on his winged ankles.
“Brin, give me the apple…it’s trying to take over your mind, come on now Brin.”
“Back off fly boy! It’s mine!” A voice inside her head started to scream. The apple was burning her hand…and she threw it down on the ground, realizing the damage it had done. Her right arm was now black and bloody, burnt all the way up. Hermes picked up the apple and then consoled Brin. The apple would finally be where it belonged.
“You know…I could take care of that arm, and some of those people who have hurt you…” He said.
“Really?”
* * *
She woke up to the sun poking through the blood red curtains, unto her bed.
“Good morning love.” She rubbed Todd’s back to wake him up.
“Morning, Tiger.” He growled and began to kiss her. They were in a new house, in the state of Queensland, Australia. Madeline was now in jail for nepotism, conspiracy, attempted burglary, etc. The rapist died of a heart attack, and the girls who tried to steal Todd…they were pregnant and married.
Life was finally starting to look up.
 Devi D_16 · Wed Feb 06, 2008 @ 11:54am · 0 Comments |
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